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Topspin

Ald. Ameya Pawar, a Democratic candidate for governor, said he’s willing to discuss term limits for state officials but doesn’t think the debate is worth holding up a state budget.

Pawar limited himself as an alderman to two terms, and he's serving in his second now. In speaking on WGN-AM 720, when asked if he thought Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner had done anything correctly, Pawar voiced support for term limits for governor and legislative leaders.

“But we need to also then discuss if we want term limits for rank-and-file legislators. Do we want powerful politicians that we elect or do we want powerful bureaucrats?” Pawar asked.

“It’s not a panacea. It’s certainly not a panacea that creates new jobs. It’s a political move. It’s a public policy change — one that’s worth debate— but certainly not one that’s worth holding up a budget over,” he said.

Rauner has made term limits on Illinois politicians among the issues he has viewed as a prerequisite for his support for raising taxes as part of resolving the state’s historic budget impasse.

The Northwest Side alderman has modeled his progressive agenda on Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Great Depression-era economic and social programs known as the New Deal.

“Automation and trade have gutted lots of local economies, and we need to talk about that. And we can’t let another generation of people wither on a vine and expect them to hear Democrats and expect them to vote for Democrats,” Pawar said.

“It’s my job to go out and talk to everybody. I’m going to go to every county in the state, all 102, and go have a conversation whether they’re red counties or blue counties,” he said. “I don’t believe you write people off based on who they voted for in the last election. And as the leader for the entire state, you don’t pit people against one another. You go and hear them out and make decisions to invest in communities and bring them together.”

Pawar acknowledged the wealth of businessman Chris Kennedy, who has entered the race, and potential candidate J.B. Pritzker, who has launched an exploratory committee. But he said it was more important to have foot soldiers. The alderman said he plans on largely raising small donations while fielding volunteer supporters. He said he has volunteers committed in 61 counties across Illinois.

Of political note, the president of Boise State is Robert Kustra, a former state lawmaker and Illinois lieutenant governor under Gov. Jim Edgar. Kustra, by the way, has a doctorate from the University of Illinois.